Undergraduate application requirements & procedures

We welcome your application! Before you apply, make sure you meet the department's minimum requirements and understand that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an offer of admission.

How you apply to the ISE department depends on your class standing and when you were admitted to the UW, as outlined below. If you have questions about admission, contact ISE undergraduate advising at ieadvise@uw.edu.

High school students – Direct to College

Freshman applicants who meet UW admissions criteria and who list an engineering department (or Engineering-undecided) as their first choice major on the UW application will automatically be considered for Direct to College admission.

Freshman students admitted via this process will enter the College of Engineering as Engineering Undeclared Students. These students will be able to place into one of the College’s engineering majors if they meet minimum progress requirements.

If the number of Engineering Undeclared students requesting placement into a major exceeds the department capacity for Engineering Undeclared students, a competitive matching process will be used. The department will use a holistic review process that considers grades and a personal statement to guide the matching process. If you have questions about Direct to College admission, the placement process, or advising for Engineering Undeclared Students, see the College of Engineering website.

Students admitted to UW as Engineering Undeclared starting autumn 2018

To be eligible for placement into the BSIE program you should have completed all of the following requirements with a minimum grade of 2.0 or above in English Composition and PHYS 121 and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher in the courses required for placement.

Current pre-engineering students, non-Engineering Undeclared students, and transfer students

For UW students admitted as freshmen in 2017 or earlier, students admitted after autumn 2017 to majors other than Engineering Undeclared, and transfer students

Students admitted to UW as pre-engineering students or a non-engineering major in 2017 or earlier should complete prerequisites and apply for admission to engineering departments at the end of the first year (early admission) or at end of the second year (upper division admission). The admission process is competitive, and completion of the requirements does not guarantee admission. All students who meet the minimum admission requirements will be considered for admission.

Selection criteria

Selection is based on various factors including overall academic track record, grades in prerequisite courses and cumulative GPA, personal statement, and the potential for success as an ISE major and in the profession. We encourage prospective students to speak with the undergraduate adviser to understand how to be a competitive applicant.

Notification

Students will be notified of acceptance or denial in early May.

Direct to College admission assures incoming freshman students who are admitted into the College of Engineering that they can pursue an engineering degree at the UW. The changes took effect starting with the 2018 incoming freshman class.